Cat's Adventure
by Goldd
Summary: Cat, the ever adventurous, is captured shortly after her return home and sent spinning into a world inhabited by drakes halfhuman, halfdragon where she must fight for her freedom even as she loses her friends, and perhaps her heart.
1. The Travelers are gathered

A/N: This fanfiction comes after a first adventure with the OC Cat, but her earlier story is unrefined and will likely never make it here so her first adventure is minimized (suffice to say she met a few anime characters before and was gone from home for a few days).

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Tales of Symphonia, Megaman in any form, Inuyasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, or any other anime/manga/video game character you may recognize as the story progresses.

I do however own my drakes and the world they inhabit, so if anyone cares to use them please give credit where it is due.

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Cat had been returned from her first adventure home. Enduring the media and the rude attitudes of fellow schoolchildren after her return was difficult. One of her friends, Mercury, had helped immensely with the media and troublesome classmates. Cat sighed over the situation while looking out the window on the bus ride home. When getting off at her stop, Cat felt a chill. Someone was watching her. She started walking home when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Spinning to face the hand's owner, she gasped. Two strange human-shaped creatures stood behind her. One had bright orange hair, the other turquoise blue. They had slit-pupiled eyes (like a cat's) and they had WINGS. The orange haired one made a gesture behind Cat and a doorway of white light began to shine there. The other creature pushed Cat into the doorway before Cat had a chance to cry out. "Oh crud!" Cat cried as she fell through the doorway.

(Fullmetal Alchemist-Amestris)

Edward and Alphonse Elric were walking down a dusty road. "Guess that was another false lead to the philosopher's stone, eh Al?"

"Yeah, it's too bad, big brother." The brothers trudged along when they heard a loud CRACK behind them. They spun to face the noise and saw a strange figure on the road. Dust obscured the figure as it approached them.

"Hey big brother, aren't those-?"

"Wings! And a tail! What the heck is that thing?!" Ed shouted as he transmuted his auto-mail arm into a blade. The figure sprinted towards the Elric brothers as Ed completed his transmutation. It tackled Alphonse after making an obscure gesture behind the brothers. Too late Ed saw the white hole the figure had pushed Al into. "Al!" Ed attacked the figure in a frenzy. "Bring my brother back right now!" The figure dodged Ed's swings and tripped him, making Ed follow as he fell into the white hole.

(Symphonia-The plains south of dirk's home)

Collette and Lloyd traveled together now, hunting down the exspheres as they went. It was a starry night as they gazed towards the heavens.

"I wonder what the others are doing." Lloyd commented, thinking fondly of his friend Genis and the other companions he had so recently journeyed with on the quest for regenerating the world. A flash of light marred the heavens.

"What was that?" Collette stood and used her keen angel senses for a moment. "It's...It's coming towards us!" A winged figure descended towards the pair. Collette and Lloyd stood to face this oddity. "It's not an angel, its wings look like a bat's... look out Collette!" Lloyd tackled Collette, preventing the oddity from hitting Collette as it swooped down. The thing turned to keep the pair in front of it. It made another pass, this time hitting the pair directly and pushing them back, into a white splotch behind them. Lloyd fell through the splotch still holding Collette protectively.

(Feudal Japan- Inuyasha's world)

Rin sat happily next to the campfire. "Jaken-sama, are you hungry?"

"Pah, silly girl, of course I'm not hungry!"

"But you haven't eaten in three days! And you look awfully pale." A scuffle began between the green imp Jaken and the mortal girl Rin. Sesshomaru stood at the edge of the fire, immediately stopping the scuffle. "What is it Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin inquired. Sesshomaru stood still a moment. A figure detached itself from the shadows and approached the fire. "What is that?!" Rin exclaimed.

"Be quiet foolish girl!" Jaken scolded. The figure made a sudden gesture towards Rin and dashed forward. A white portal had opened behind Rin at the figure's gesture.

"Look out Rin!" Jaken pushed Rin out of the way as the figure landed where Rin had stood. Jaken overbalanced and fell into the portal. "Jaken-sama!" Sesshomaru silently lunged at the figure as he drew his sword, Tokijin. The figure ducked, showing unusual agility. It swept Rin into the portal with its tail as it dodged another of Sesshomaru's swings.

"Die!" Sesshomaru swung the sword again, his anger fueling a small dragon-strike as the sword made contact. The figure hissed in pain as the blue lightning of the dragon-strike wound up its arm. It hissed again as it swing its wings and tail simultaneously, pushing Sesshomaru into the portal. It jumped in after the outraged demon, casting a brief glance to the cold stars.

(Destiny island- the beach)

Sora and Riku are playing volleyball against Tidus and Wakka. Kairi is watching from the sidelines, cheering everyone on. Sora runs to return the ball after a fast serve from Wakka, but misses the ball. It falls into the water and Riku goes to retrieve it.

"Nice try Sora!" Kairi cheers. Sora sits up from where he fell into the sand, rubbing his head where the ball bounced off. "Ouch. Hey Riku, you going to bring the ball back or what?" Riku stood waist deep in the water, staring at a point above Sora's head.

"What is it?" Sora turned to look. He then scooted backward as an object fell to the sand where he had been sitting.

"What the-?" The figure unbent itself from the fall and stood, looming over Sora from his seat in the sand. "Look out!" Riku threw the volleyball at the figure as it lunged at Sora.

"I've never seen a heartless that looked like that." Kairi said. It looked human except for its feathered wings and scaled tail. Its eyes looked like a cat's, only the pupils were purple.

"Hold on guys, we'll get help!" Tidus and Wakka shouted as they ran. Riku snorted, "Pah, fools. Only a keyblade could harm something like this. Sora!" Sora called his Kingdom Key (the basic form) Keyblade. "Alright you monster, I'll- hey! What are you doing?!" During this interlude, the figure had grabbed Kairi by her collar and was tossing her into a white portal. Sora rushed forward with Riku, trying to get to the portal before Kairi vanished into it. "Hel-!" Kairi's cry was cut short as she vanished below the portal's white surface. Sora immediately dove in after her. Riku stood back a moment, eyeing the creature. "You're no heartless. What do you want?" The creature gestured to the portal, then to Riku. Riku felt something dark surround him, and as he fell into the portal unconsciousness claimed him.

(Dentech City)

Hikari Netto had (finally) been let out of an important (yet very boring) net savoir conference. "Geez, why the heck do they have to make us sit on our butts for four hours while they argue about absolutely nothing!" Netto complained to his digital companion known to most as a netnavi, Rockman. Rockman, who by now, was very used to hearing Netto's complaints, answered, "Netto-kun, I know you get bored there, but it's one of your duties as a net savoir."

"And WHOSE idiotic idea was that?" Rockman sighed. Although he was used to Netto complaining about various things, like having to get up for school or having to do homework, for him, it was still a pain. He was moping around about this for a minute when he noticed something. "Netto-kun, I think you're lost. This isn't the usual route you take to get home." Netto had been so frustrated that he had gone into an alley by mistake. "Whoops. Won't be making that mistake again. Thanks Rockman." He was about to turn back and get back home when a bright, white light had appeared behind him and he noticed a white portal with some kind of...creature looming out. "Rockman, contact Menji-san! Have him set up-" Before he got to finish that sentence, he was grabbed by the creature and flung into the portal.


	2. Drake Royalty?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, Inuyasha, Tales of Symphonia, Kingdom Hearts, or Megaman.

Cat woke up slowly, a pounding headache throbbing in her temples. She sat up, one hand clutching her head as if to lessen the pain. Looking around, Cat decided she was dreaming. She was in a forest clearing with the two creatures beside her. The orange haired one extended a hand to help her up. She took it and it pulled her to her feet easily, showing unusual strength.

"Come, we need to get to the castle." So saying, the creatures began to walk off, pausing when Cat didn't move. The turquoise haired one sighed and went back, grabbing Cat's arm and dragging her along.

"Where's the castle? Why did you, ummm, (trying to think what one would term being pushed into a portal and changing worlds) kidnap me?"

"Hush, the queen will-" The creature's explanation was cut short as a white oval began glowing over Cat's head. Two things fell through, hitting Cat squarely on her head. A third thing fell through but managed to avoid Cat, landing instead next to the creatures. Finally, another creature pushed its head through the portal looking around, and then dropped to the ground completing the pig-pile upon Cat.

"Jaken-sama! Sesshomaru-sama, are you all right?!" Rin cried.

"Would you mind getting off me?!"

"Oh!" Rin scrambled off Cat, dragging Jaken off too when he didn't move. The creature still on top of Cat looked down at her. "Not much of a catch for you twins, is it?"

"Get off me you-... you thing!" "The creature on top Cat eyed her speculatively."I'm not a thing, I'm a drake." It suddenly jumped backwards, off Cat. Cat looked up and saw Sesshomaru's lunges miss as the drake jumped about infuriatingly. The twin drakes grabbed Rin and (the still unconscious) Jaken.

"Move and we'll kill them, demon." Sesshomaru paused, evaluating the distance between the drakes and him. He lowered his hand, still glowing from his poison talons. The drakes took this as acquiescence and turned to Cat who was still sprawled on the dirty path. "Get up, we need to get to the castle." Cat stood, brushing off dirt stuck to her clothes. The rude drake took the lead walking down the dirt path, whistling. The twins stood escort, keeping Cat and Sesshomaru between them while holding Rin and Jaken.

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Cat, Rin, the unconscious Jaken, and Sesshomaru stood overlooking the drake city. The city was built around what looked like a circus tent, as Cat and the others observed. The drake twins lead the group into the city. The citizenry watched as if in awe as the strangers came through the city. Cat was suddenly overcome with homesickness, and it took all she could to hold back her tears. Before she could concentrate on her sadness though, she noticed something. Her house keys were gone! She then noticed that the person responsible was already running through the crowd.

"Hey! Get back here you stupid thief!" She jumped around the guards started to find her way out of the crowd when she felt something tug at her sleeve. It was Rin!

"Cat, do you need help?" she asked.

"Sure, it'd be appreciated" Cat answered, obviously glad of Rin's help.

Their search for the thief led them to an alleyway. He stood at the end glancing about for an exit.

"Okay, let's get him!" Cat charged at the green-haired thief, taking him by surprise. Cat took advantage of this and managed to land a direct hit to the drake boy. She bent down and picked up her house keys, smugly satisfied with herself.

"Wow, Cat, that was wonderful!" Cat blushed, she was quite embarrassed with Rin taking notice of this. Cat's attention was suddenly averted however when another portal opened. Out fell a short boy with blonde hair, and what looked like a suit of armor. A very surprised Cat started poking the armor with a stick.

"Cat, I don't think-" Rin was interrupted when the armor moved.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!!" Cat fell down on her but shocked beyond belief.

"Hey Al...where ARE we?"

The green haired thief ducked around Cat as the blond haired kid tried to sit up. The blond haired kid noticed the thief's dash and instinctively lunged at the movement. Unfortunately, Cat made a lunge for him at the same moment. Their heads met with a loud THUNK. The thief ran along the alleyway, passing a startled Rin and went out the mouth of the alley as a human figure passed by. The figure picked up the thief with one hand and held the kicking boy by the scruff of the neck.

"Lemme down Rainheart!" The green-haired thief shouted. Rainheart shook the thief.

"Don't let him go! He has my house keys!" Cat yelled to Rainheart. The blond haired boy beside Cat was still rubbing his head from their collision as another drake dropped from the still open portal and fell onto the blond boy's head.

"Ed!" The armor cried as the blond boy was squashed. Ed threw off the drake with an evil expression plastered on his face.

"You-!" The drake ignored Ed's ire and spoke to the figure at the mouth of the alley. "Prince Rainheart, why are you holding prince Tyrsis? And you already have your captive, should you not be at the castle by now?" Cat's attention was drawn to previously unnoticed bundle draped over Rainheart's shoulder. It twitched and Cat saw it was a young boy her age with brown hair and a bandana thrown fire-man style over Rainheart's shoulder. Tyrsis stopped his struggled for a moment to grab something hanging on the boy's belt. Rin suddenly shouted "Sesshomaru-sama!" and everyone's attention was focused on the group which had approached the alley from behind Rainheart. Rin ran back to Sesshomaru and the now conscious Jaken. Ed, Cat, the armor, and the drake that had addressed Rainheart and the thief as royalty had walked to the mouth of the alley when the object Tyrsis had stolen shouted.

"Netto! Are you alive?! Speak to me!" Cat ducked around on of the drake abductors and saw a handheld computer with the letters PET on it in Tyrsis' hands.

"Netto-!"

"Where's the mute button on this thing?" Tyrsis pushed the buttons randomly on the handheld until it suddenly stopped speaking. "That's better." Rainheart shook Tyrsis again. "All of you come. We need to see the queen." So saying, he turned and continued the group's earlier route to the castle/tent at the center of the city. The group reached the center of the city as the sun set behind the mountains on the horizon. They entered through the open archway. The entire building seemed to be a huge circus tent to Cat. It even had the cloth walls, but in this case there were rooms and separate compartments in the tent. A castle made of cloth… There was an unrolled carpet on the ground leading to an intricate throne upon a raised dais. Glowing stones served as lights within the tent. The group made its way to the throne with the guards lining the crimson carpet giving them baleful glares. The drake guards halted the group a fair distance from the throne. All the drakes knelt; Rainheart still stood holding his captive and Tyrsis. A figure rose from the throne and Cat hopes dimmed as she noticed its wings. (If the princes looked human, maybe the queen was too…) The Queen strode to the front of the group as the boy on Rainheart's shoulder woke up.

"What-?" The boy felt his belt and froze when he noticed the handheld's absence. He looked around with fear in his eyes and spotted Tyrsis not a foot from him playing with the handheld. Rainheart dropped the boy when he reached for the handheld.

"Rockman!" The boy lunged for the handheld and Rainheart dropped Tyrsis to avoid being in the middle of the scuffle.

"He's mine! I stole him!"

"No! Rockman's MY PET!" The queen reached amidst the fighting boys and took the PET, un-muting it as she withdrew her arm.

"Netto!"

"Rockman!" The boy, Netto stood and ignoring Tyrsis faced the queen.

"Give me back Rockman!" He demanded, holding out his hand.

"Regrettably, I cannot at this time return the device to you." The queen's words were clear and precise as she answered Netto.

"Why?"

"It would be in your best interests to wait until I… upgrade him. After all, it will let you crossfuse when you wish to in my realm."

"You know about crossfusion?! What, how-?"

"Netto-kun , it might be better to wait."

"Okay Rockman." Netto stepped back and knelt with the group. Only Sesshomaru, Rainheart, Tyrsis and Jaken did not kneel to the queen.

"Jaken-sama!"

"She's a queen Jaken, kneel!" Cat and Rin grabbed Jaken's shoulders and forced him to kneel.

"Welcome to my realm travelers." The queen greeted them.

"Cat, come forward." Cat rose and went to the queen.

"This is for you." The queen pressed a small clear sphere into Cat's palm. The queen stepped back and studied Cat's expression, clearly expecting some kind of response.

"That's all?" Cat asked. The queen nodded happily.

"Now for the rest of you, would you do me the honor of staying the night?" The queen stepped by Cat as she addressed the rest of the group. Cat's mind swirled in confusion and anger. The queen was continued to ignore Cat as she directed instructions to the drake guards. The group began to break up as the individuals were escorted to their rooms. They were all still within the main entrance when Cat's anger got the best of her. She whirled around and strode up to the queen, her voice increasing in volume as she went.

"You kidnap me, let this miserable excuse for a prince steal my house keys, drop people on my head from weird white portals, THEN GIVE ME A MARBLE AND SAY THAT'S IT?!?!" The queen's flame colored wings rattled in annoyance.

"Yes Cat. Now go to your room, I'll speak to you in the morning." Cat stared in disbelief at the queen's retreating back. Something snapped and Cat ran to catch that unbelievable drake queen and give her what was coming to her. Rainheart intercepted Cat's path and picked her up by the scruff of the neck, much as he had done with Tyrsis earlier. Cat filled his ears with every dirty word and degrading insult she knew as he carried her to her room. Reaching the room, he opened the canvas flap and dropped her on the earthen floor. Rin, already inside the room, ran to Cat's side as she hit the floor.

"You would do better to show more respect for the queen" He said as he closed and locked the flap. Cat's response was to throw the closest object at hand at the door flap. The clear marble hit the flap with enough force to push it outward for a moment and then it fell to the ground with a bright ringing sound as it began to glow with a golden light.


	3. The Night's Troubles and Tribulations

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, Inuyasha, Tales of Symphonia, Kingdom Hearts, or Megaman.

Cat stared at the gold marble in confusion. She picked it up, noticing it gave off a comforting warm glow. Peering over Cat's shoulder Rin commented," Why did the marble turn gold?"

Cat jumped. She had forgotten Rin's presence in the room due to her anger.

"You know what? I really don't know why." Pausing in thought, Cat decided it could wait; her roommate was more interesting than a glowing marble. She placed it in her pocket and spoke. "Since we're going to be with each other for awhile, why don't you tell me a little about yourself Rin?"

Thanks to Cat's general good-naturedness she wasn't angry anymore. She and Rin discussed general things such as family and their worlds.

Meanwhile in the room beside theirs, Netto out of extreme boredom, had decided to try to listen in on their chat…with a cup to the wall.

"You're not going to hear anything if you do it like that." Ed said, bored but annoyed with whatever Netto was attempting.

"Shhhh! I can't hear anything!" Netto snapped back.

Alphonse sighed, noting the boys' similar temperaments.

With the stress of being world-napped the travelers were asleep by midnight.

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A large explosion shook the ground and the group immediately woke. Sirens sounded in the streets, faintly heard through the palace's walls.

"What was that?!" Cried Cat.

A now-familiar white oval opened above Cat and a few figures fell though to land upon Cat's poor head.

"OOF!" Lloyd and Colette sat up looking about warily. The drake following them landed quickly behind them on the dirt floor. Rin gasped in surprise. Lloyd turned to face the drake and drew his twin swords, the metal rasping against the sheaths.

"You monster!" Lloyd lunged at the drake. It quickly sidestepped, tripping Lloyd with a foot. Rin ducked speedily as Lloyd crashed into the wall. The door opened as a guard pushed through, stepping on Cat. Fed up entirely, she howled in pain and stood, showing unusual strength as she pushed Colette and the drake guard off her. The marble in Cat's pocket glowed red through the material. Rin stared in amazement as Cat's body began to glow gold. Cat snarled at the drakes, showing wickedly sharp canines. Lloyd by this time had gotten up from the floor and attempted to spear the drake with his swords. The drake thrust its broadsword between Lloyd's twin blades, preventing the strike. Colette looked around in confusion as Netto, Ed, and Al tried to enter the already crowded room (as they had heard the commotion and were not stopped by the occupied guard). Cat's anger reached its peak as she noticed Netto, Ed, and Al trying to enter. She growled and grasped the drake guard still struggling with Lloyd by its belt. Cat then bodily threw the guard into the hallway, squashing Ed and Netto, and denting Al's metal.

Cat was breathing unsteadily as she turned to face the other drake. It stared with wide eyes full of fear at Cat. Lloyd had paused in his attempt to slaughter the drake and was also staring at Cat. Her breath became more ragged as the glow around her intensified. Cat felt a pulse of anger and detachedly saw herself lunge at the drake's throat. The glow around Cat gave a flash of light, and then dimmed. When Cat was able to focus her attention again, she saw her hands gripping the drake by the neck. She gasped in horror and released the drake. It gave a few ragged coughs, then took deeper rasping breaths. Cat gazed at her hands in mute horror, trying to comprehend what had just happened. At that moment drake guards rushed into the small room, leveling weapons at the room's remaining occupants and the few outside.

A guard's sword pricked Cat's neck as she shivered. She had a sudden chill, _what was going on?!_ She had been willing to wait to see what the queen had wanted after her initial anger, but now after almost killing, she wasn't so sure she could wait.

"Cat!" Rin called worriedly. The line of blood that had appeared at the nick from the guard's blade healed before Rin's worried eyes. Only demons could heal that fast, she knew. But Cat wasn't a demon!

"Get your hands off me!" Ed yelled at a guard outside the room, as it dragged him to a stand.

"Shut up Shorty if you want to see the sun rise."

"What.did.you.call.me?" Ed spoke shortly, each word punctuated by an almost visible aura of pulsing anger. Soft footsteps echoed down the hall as a drake approached. It was Rainheart, dressed elegantly in a blue silk shirt and black cloak.

"The queen wants the girl angel in the audience chamber immediately. Apparently this bunch weren't the only guests arriving tonight. A kid with spiky hair and yellow shoes along with two others just fell onto that dog demon. They seem lucky to be alive, we had to restrain the demon before he killed them." a grim amusement filled Rainheart's voice as he ordered the guards to stand down and to take Colette to the queen.

"Wait!" Cat cried. "The spiky haired kid, was that Sora?!" Hopeful recognition filled Cat's voice. Cat remembered Sora's antics and pineapple-tasting shoes from her first adventure (that's right, Sora's big yellow shoes taste like pineapple- according to a small electric mouse).

"He's with the queen now. You'll see him at your audience with the queen in the morning."

After everyone was returned to their rooms, Cat thoughts were still in a haze. She had been pushed back into bed by one of the guards and told to go back to sleep, but she couldn't. After she had just tried to kill someone and nearly succeeded, she really couldn't be expected to sleep at the drop of a hat. Rin sat beside her on the bead and patted her hand comfortingly. Rin had noticed that Cat, in that fit of rage, seemed to have gold wings and a tail similar to the drakes. She would have informed Cat of this, but she decided against it after seeing how distraught Cat was.

"Cat?" The tentative question brought Cat out of her trance.

"Cat, why don't we go to sleep? It's pretty late, so we had better get some sleep now while we can...onee-chan." Rin suggested.

"...Alright." Cat answered, falling asleep as soon as her head touched the pillows.

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Cat's dreams that night were anything but pleasant. She tossed and turned restlessly as her dreams showed her scenes of long-past wars, bloodshed and tears as well as death. These were memories given to Cat from the sphere, the softly glowing marble of the gold drake, but as Cat was unaware of this she experienced the suffering from the memories of sadness and anger with little comprehension.

"at...cat...CAT!!" Rin shouted in attempt to wake Cat up. She succeeded. Cat eyes shot open, cold sweat beating down her face.

"Cat, we have to leave."

"Why?"

"Because Sesshomaru-sama's left! We have to go too!"

"...Um, who was that again?" Rin nearly fell down at Cat's response.

"Cat! Just COME ON!" Rin yelled, dragging Cat out of bed. Upon reaching the doorway Cat noticed that Sesshomaru was right down the hall. She looked to the other end of the hall...and saw a dozen drake guards coming after them!

"WAHHH!" Cat shouted as she started running.


	4. The Forest

The boys in the next room were taking advantage of the commotion to plot their escape. Being so noisy, they had attracted the attention of the guards. Edward's transmutations had the habit of doing so, as he informed Lloyd after the fact. Al, Ed, Lloyd, and Netto ran for the forest outside the city with all their strength, screeching when the drake guards climbed out the hole in the wall to go after them. As they reached the tree line Netto collapsed. He waved weakly at the Elric brothers and Lloyd.

"Go on!"

Edward swore and turned to Al. They shared a quick glance and Al swiftly bent to pick up Netto, hefting him like a sack of flour. The boys then ran further into the forest, losing their pursuers after a few confusing turns in the deep green foliage.

"Brings back memories of running from homunculi doesn't it Al?" Ed panted, clutching his knees.

"Sure does big brother. Netto, are you all right?"

"I'm…fine. Sorry for slowing you all down." Netto flushed in embarrassment. Lloyd smiled at him solemnly.

"If the brothers hadn't picked you up I would've Netto. I made a promise back in my world that I wouldn't leave anyone behind." Netto smiled back tentatively.

"I still feel bad about it. Hey Rockman, what do you think?" Silence followed.

"Rockman?"

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Rockman was on a table, but he wasn't in his PET. He had been transferred into some kind of sphere. The queen had brought him to this room immediately after the meeting in the reception hall, and had put Rockman on sleep mode. As Rockman came out of sleep mode, he noticed the queen's absence. Rockman saw out of the corner of the door some drake guards were half-dragging, half-carrying a silver haired boy, who was obviously not conscious. Rockman didn't like this one bit, and he didn't trust the drake queen either.

"I've got to get to Netto-kun." he said to himself. After making this decision he started to roll off the table and out of the room.

"I just hope I don't get lost."

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As the boys conversed, a certain spiky-haired boy was busy fighting off drake guards. He finally cut and ran, as reinforcements from the other party pursuing the boys were returning. Upon reaching the forest he sagged against a tree, swearing. His key-shaped blade fell to the ground and vanished. Falling to his knees he reviewed his mistakes, now proving costly. He had lured off the guards so his friend could rescue their girl. Unfortunately he had underestimated the guards and had received several wounds, including a broken rib and heavily bleeding gashes.

He felt his head begin to spin. The last of his strength deserted him and he slumped to the inviting ground. As oblivion enveloped his consciousness his mouth formed one last word.

"Kairi…"

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Cat and Rin had reached the forest successfully, and were resting as Sesshomaru surveyed the terrain. Little Rin was quiet tired from the run, but Cat was recovering quickly. Sesshomaru's head whipped up as a slight breeze blew about the clearing the group had picked for a camp.

"I smell blood." He quickly ran into the surrounding trees.

"Wait for me!" Cat cried as she chased after Sesshomaru's rapidly fading figure. Sesshomaru suddenly stopped on a small animal track. Sprawled across the forest floor was a boy with spiky hair.

"Sora!" Cat screamed as she threw herself to the ground and paused. Sora's complexion was a sickly pale green. He had bloody marks across his body, some of the larger ones bleeding sluggishly.

"He needs medical attention!" Cat's head turned about, as if expecting an ambulance and EMTs to appear.

"Oh yeah..."

"I'll take him back to the clearing and you can bandage him." Sesshomaru bent, and showing unusual concern for a mortal, hefted Sora's limp form and turned back to the clearing. He walked slowly, so Cat could keep pace with him. He put Sora down carefully when reaching the clearing. Cat sat next to Sora, and then realized she had no bandages. She turned to Sesshomaru to complain about this oversight when a piercing scream echoed through the forest.

"Did something die?" Rin asked Sesshomaru.

"That was Netto!" Cat cried as she jumped up and ran towards the sound still echoing between the trees.

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Al restrained Netto from running back into the drake's territory.

"What good will it do Rockman if you're captured again?!"

"I don't care!" After several other logical reasons for Netto NOT to run back to Rockman, Netto finally calmed down. Ed and Al went to find some food. When they returned they found Netto sitting slumped against a tree with Lloyd keeping watch. He looked up and stood when Ed and Al entered the small clearing. Ed and Al exchanged glances, disappointed that Netto had yet to shake off his depression.

_Maybe some __food will__ cheer him up._ Ed started a fire and started to cook the bunny he had caught with a snare

"I wish Rockman was here. He was always scolding me not to stuff my face." Netto picked up a stick of meat and chewed slowly.

"I didn't even mind when he woke me up for school." Netto stood and walked back to the tree he had slumped against earlier.

"Rockman was like a brother to me." Ed noticed a small marble roll into the clearing, stopping at the base of the tree where Netto was slouched. Firelight glinted off the sphere and Ed swallowed a laugh. He didn't want to draw Netto's attention to the marble, not yet.

"He was so loyal…"

"Netto-kun." Rockman spoke from within the marble.

"I remember the time he defeated loads of navis in the Undernet without me."

"I'm right here Netto-kun."

"It's almost as if he's here right now."

"I AM here Netto-kun."

"Hey Ed, did you know that I once reprogrammed Rockman to do my homework for me?" Rockman fell silent at that comment, fuming Ed suspected.

"Why! Why take Rockman?! Take me instead! I'm not worthy of Rockman!"

"Netto-kun, I'M RIGHT HERE!!!" Rockman screamed at Netto.

"Oh Rockman!" Netto dropped to a crouch and picked up Rockman's sphere. Netto hugged the sphere as he exclaimed questions, his words coming out in a muddle in his hurry. After calming down a bit, he asked Rockman the most basic questions.

"How come you're a marble?"

"I woke up like this, I don't really know..."

"How did you find us?" Rockman looked to the side, his cheeks glowing crimson.

"I'd rather not say."

"Tell me at least why the queen took you away!"

"She said something about crossfusion in this world, and then I blacked out."

"I don't see how you can crossfuse here Netto." Ed commented.

"From what you've said, I gather you need a dimensional area and a chip to make it work." As Ed spoke, Rockman's head cocked to the side, as if listening to an unheard voice.

"Netto, I've got an idea. Put me over your heart, like when we use the PET to crossfuse."

"Okay-?" The background behind Rockman within the sphere began to pulse white as Netto positioned the sphere over his heart. Netto's hand trembled and he dropped the sphere onto his front, only instead of rolling down (as gravity usually causes) it began to disappear into him.

"What the-?" A bright flash enveloped the clearing and Netto screamed in pain.

Cat dashed towards Netto's voice. She stumbled on a tree root and fell face first into a clearing, slightly illuminated by a glowing figure in front of an old oak tree. Ed, Al, and Lloyd stared transfixed at Netto as the glow faded. He was crossfused, his blue outfit looking ridiculous with trees behind him. There were a few small changes though. Small spikes ran down his back and he had demi-wings on his back along with a small lizard tail (all blue colored). Scales covered his hands and shone in the firelight as he turned them over, looking in awe at his new crossfusion. Cat stared in confusion, and then impulsively hugged everyone in the clearing.

"I'm so happy all of you escaped!" Ed and Netto blushed furiously after their hugs (Al would've too, but he's a suit of armor- the facial expressions of a rock and all that). Cat then grabbed Ed's hand and started towing him back to her camp.

"Where are we- what are you-?" Ed stuttered.

"We're going back to my camp! Rin, Jaken, Sesshomaru and Sora are all there!" Cat noticed Sesshomaru following her and ignored him. She reached her clearing and dropped Ed's hand.

"Sora!" If anything the boy's complexion had gotten greener than Jaken's. Cat dropped to her knees and poked Sora's side- repeatedly, punctuating each word with a poke.

"Don't you DARE die! Kairi'll kill you!" Cat poked Sora hard. A soft glow surrounded he finger and Sora's face looked less green.

"Hey! My hand's glowing!"

"Try poking Sora again! I think it's helping!" Rin exclaimed. Cat agreed and put both hands on Sora's front. Her hands glowed brighter, finally giving off a blinding flash. As Cat blinked her eyes rapidly, spots clouding her vision, she saw Sora take a deep breath and his face relaxed as he found healing sleep. Cat sighed in relief. Already Sora's face was returning to its normal peachy color.


	5. Explanations of a sort

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha, Rockman, Kingdom Hearts, Tales of Symphonia, Fullmetal Alchemist, or any variations thereof. I do own my drakes and their world.

The sky darkened as night fell upon the group. All the humans had clustered around the warmth giving fire. Sora slept like the dead and most of the others were ready to join him. Cat's eyelids drooped and before she realized it she was sound asleep.

"KAIRI!" A sudden scream woke Cat. She jolted up to a sitting position and looked to Sora. He was the one who had screamed. He was also sitting, hunched over from the force of his call. Apparently Cat's new healing powers hadn't cured him completely. She stood and walked over to Sora, kneeling next to him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"I left Kairi and Riku in that- place! How could I have done that Cat? Wait a minute, you're here too?!"

"Yeah, I was kidnapped too, all of us were." Sora looked around the clearing, only now noticing the sleeping figures.

"Oh…" A twig snapped in the darkness and Cat spun towards the sound. Sesshomaru rose from the tree he'd been sitting on. The fire spat noisily as it consumed a green twig and a figure emerged from the darkness of the forest. It was the human-looking prince, Rainheart. He approached with hands out, palms up in the universal sign of 'I come in peace'. Sesshomaru lost interest in Rainheart when he saw he was unarmed.

Walking back to his tree, he passed Cat and whispered in her ear, "Don't let his looks deceive you, he's got his wings too." Cat was momentarily startled, and not from the news, but that Sesshomaru had even spoken a sentence to her. Shaking off her surprise she turned to Rainheart.

"What do you want? And where's that thief of a brother Tyris?"

"I come to seek your assistance in overthrowing my mother, the queen."

"What?!"

"I said-"

"I know what you said, but why do you want to overthrow your mom?"

"She's governing the drake empire poorly, costing lives and funds in foolish ventures. Plus she brought you lot here for her personal plans."

"Personal plans?"

"Conquest, tactics, whatever knowledge she can gain from you lot." _Plus you have __Goldd's__ marble._

"That seems pretty stupid, after all, we escaped!" _As she had planned._

"Besides, what's in it for you?"

"I gain a throne so I may lead my people to greater prosperity."

"So, do you really have wings? And a tail?"

"Yes, I'm one of the few drakes that can manage full body shifts, instead of half-human half-drake forms." For some reason this answer disappointed Cat. She'd thought he was human.

"Now will your group help me in this endeavor?"

"Only if you explain my marble, it keeps acting up. And you need to explain what we'd need to do. But first-", Cat held up a finger threateningly, "You need to promise to send ALL of us back home when this is done!"

"Very well." Cat strode back to the fire, stepping neatly around the slumbering figures and Sora, who stared at Rainheart. Sora was plainly confused by the quick dialogue between Cat and Rainheart. Cat sat with authority at the fire's edge, Rainheart directly across from her.

"My marble-?"

"Contains the life of one of my most powerful relatives, Goldd."

"Because-?" Rainheart sighed. This was going to be a long story.

"Gold and Black colored drakes are the most powerful of my kind. (Having a gold or black sheen to the scale color counts). Goldd was one of my ancestors. She was a brilliant drake, making huge progress in technology and magic castings. She's the one who made the 'marbles' to store power in. When she knew her death was near, she sealed her life into the marble you now hold. She also made the marble the electronic intelligence is in."

"You mean Rockman?"

"Urr- yes. (He didn't know its name) Continuing- All the marbles are connected through yours, and that's why I need your groups' help, but yours especially."

"The marbles are connected? So that's why I've been hearing Rockman in my head!"

"What do you mean you've been hearing Rockman?!" Netto sat up, his imitation of sleep forgotten.

"I heard his yelling in my head after you screamed."

"I believe I can answer that." Rain heart spoke quietly, hoping to diffuse the sudden tension between Cat and Netto. His bait worked and Cat broke eye contact with Netto, muttering something like 'immature idiot'.

"The marbles react to strong emotions. Yours especially Cat, but any of them can react violently when its user is having say, a panic attack or a violent urge to kill something." Cat's eyes fell to the ground as she remembered the drake she had almost killed. Rainheart was plainly warning her to watch her emotions around her sphere.

_-He's in the infirmary now, recovering nicely, and dinning the ears off the nurses with tales of his heroic almost death.- _Cat jolted out of her reverie with Rainheart's voice echoing in her head.

"How-?!" Rainheart revealed a blue marble in his palm, grinning at her reaction

_-Telepathy between the marbles is another gift __Goldd__ left behind.-_ Far off in the forest a creature howled mournfully and Cat struggled to keep her eyes open. Netto and Sora also seemed strangely tired. The boys lay back down and were snoring shortly. Cat's eyelids drooped and she felt herself falling to the ground. A warm hand caught her and placed her on the ground. She saw Rainheart walking over to Sesshomaru, pausing, he looked over his shoulder saying, "Good night."

Morning dawned bright and early. Cat sat up and stretched, refreshed for all the few hours of sleep she had gotten. She viewed the clearing and saw everyone huddled around Rainheart. Looking up over Al's shoulder he caught Cat's gaze.

"Good morning Cat!" The boys spun around guiltily and Rin ran up to Cat, giving her a hug and saying, "Get up! Rainheart-sama says we're heading out!" Cat stood and strode up to Rainheart.

"Whaddaya mean we're leaving? I haven't had breakfast and I have no idea where we are!" Cat's words were muddled, as she was still waking up.

"Here's your breakfast Cat!" Ed gave Cat a stick with a lizard impaled on it. Cat looked at it in disgust and Rin commented, "Don't worry! It's cooked!" Cat took the stick and turned to Rainheart.

"You still haven't said where we're going."

"A village near here where we can get supplies." Approaching Cat, he whispered in her ear, "and a marble's there too."

"You never said why we need the marbles." Cat had figured out a part of this story herself, Rainheart plainly wanted the marbles, and since hers was the original so to speak, she could locate and use the marbles. Rainheart looked down at her, seemingly puzzled.

"I didn't say, did I?"

_-The marbles are how we take care of my dear mother, Cat.-_

A/N: Colors of a drake can help determine its powers (as Rainheart mentioned the two most common colors associated with power). Drake scales also carry sheens, or color overlays (think highlights). I'll try and keep the mind speak in italics between -_these-_ and private thoughts in just italics.


End file.
